Irony
by Kaarina Helvete
Summary: Warning: SPOILERS FOR THE THIRD ACE ATTORNEY GAME, TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS. Now that you've all finished Trials and Tribulations, we're going to examine Iris in all her glory. I have no idea where this is going as of late. Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

Edited for continuity issues! /edit

Warning: SPOILERS FOR THE THIRD ACE ATTORNEY GAME, TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS. SOOO MANY SPOILERS. It will destroy the entire game for you if you haven't beaten it all the way to the end! So yeah. Don't freaking read it if you haven't, because this game is too amazing to be spoiled. It is. Trust me.

Summary: Now that you've all finished Trials and Tribulations, we're going to examine Iris in all her glory—as well as her family, friends, and her "sweetheart". Called Irony because, well, since you already know how the story goes, the dramatic irony will be _stifling! _I have no idea where this is going.

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><p>Dahlia Hawthorne was not pleased. To start, she had been questioned relentlessly about an incident she had nothing to do with (Well, no one could <em>prove<em> she did, anyway.) and had lost a lot of sleep over the past week. And so, she went about her day sleep-deprived, thinking about how she was going to get through her oral presentation when she hadn't even had time to read the material—and her boyfriend saw fit to break up with her over a misunderstanding. Wonderful. No matter. She had planned on leaving him anyway, since she was technically cheating on him.

She regretted it though, since the idiot she had replaced him with came with and endless supply of grief.

Two months. They had been dating for two whole months already. She hadn't planned on it lasting this long—but the buffoon didn't understand the phrase "Give it back," apparently. Did he seriously think she was joking? It was getting increasingly difficult to keep her innocent facade up, and avoid strangling him. No, that would only complicate things even more. She didn't need a second murder on her head, at least not yet. Her situation wasn't _that_ desperate.

It was pretty desperate though, she thought as she made her way to the bus stop next to the university. Phoenix had a late class today, and she wasn't about to wait for him. Not that he would mind; he was at her every beck and call. It was nice, to a degree. She had someone to buy her things (not that he could afford much, of course), carry her books, and most importantly, keep the other filthy males from swarming around her, attempting to win her heart. She was taken, albeit by a completely lovesick fool. The boy tried so hard, and all for naught.

But yes, her situation was desperate. She figured she could deal with his ever-present gaiety and goofy smile. She could, for the first week. It got old after that. Not only that, but he insisted on telling every single person he met about the wonderful, amazing true love they shared. And then... he would show them _that._ And _that_ was the reason she had to stay with him, why she couldn't just ditch this fool and find someone else to play with. She had to get it back, whatever the cost.

But now, the cost was a little more than she could handle without committing yet another murder. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that, but she was prepared to do whatever it took to silence that boy. She sat down at the bus stop, and pulled out her phone.

She never thought she'd see another day when she would be forced to ask her useless sister for help.

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><p>Iris shivered as she made her way away from the small village she called home. It was the middle of fall, and so naturally it was starting to get colder—though not nearly as cold as it would be during winter. She could handle it, she thought as she pulled her hood tighter over her head. It was only for a little while, anyway. She clutched her cell phone with cold fingers as she made the trek to the bridge. That place seemed to have the best reception, when there was any at least.<p>

Her sister had insisted that she get a cell phone a while ago, in order to "keep in contact with her dear sister," as Sister Bikini put it. At first, Iris was excited. Sometimes she felt a little lonely, with only Bikini to keep her company. She longed for someone of her age to talk to and share her life with. Did her sister finally see her as worthy of such interaction?

Dahlia never called. Not once. Of course, Iris was disappointed—though it was her fault for getting her hopes up. She would never be good enough, "useful" enough for her dear sister. That is, until today.

Iris kept her phone charged and ready at all times, in case someone should call for any reason. It wasn't a hard chore, after all. She didn't make it a habit of checking, though; once a week was enough. She knew she could possibly miss a call, but her skepticism outweighed the credulity she gave the idea. Lucky for her, the call had been made only minutes before when she spotted the light of her cell in the corner.

It was a voice message, apparently. She hadn't had a chance to listen to it, since the reception up there in the mountains was spotty at best. She reached Dusky Bridge, and shivered again. She held up the phone, and opened it. The messaged flashed, practically begging to be listened to. Iris took a deep breath and pressed the green button, then brought the phone up to her ear under her hood.

"_You have one unheard message. First unheard message—left Thursday, October eleventh."_

Iris held her breath. She was almost positive it would be her sister. Dahlia was the only person other than Sister Bikini who knew her cell phone number, after all. What would she sound like after so—

"_Hello, my dearest sister. That's an interesting personal greeting you have there. I recommend changing it to avoid further humiliation." _There was a pause. _"It seems I've fallen into a little predicament, again. You don't mind if I ask you for a little assistance, do you? Hurry up and call me back. Soon I'll be on the bus, and people will hear our conversation."_

_"__End of message. To delete this message, press seven. To save it in the archives, press nine. To hear more options, press ze—"_

Iris pressed the number seven immediately. She knew her sister would reprimand her if she left any kind of evidence that they were related. She shivered, then ended the call and went to her contacts. The mere two contacts read "Hazakura" and "Sister". Bikini mentioned wanting a cell phone, but she'd never got around to getting one herself. It was a little pointless, after all, since the only reception point that anyone knew of was right next to the phone at Dusky Bridge. Not only that, but Bikini had no use for the complex messaging system that was such a craze, these days. She didn't need to worry about if her conversation was secret or not.

Iris knew right away that her dear sister was in some great peril, or she wouldn't have contacted Iris at all. And more than likely, Dahlia was the cause of it all. It was ominous, and Iris didn't like it. But what else was she supposed to do, ignore the only real family she had? She called her sister, and stood shivering next to the bridge.

It rang twice before the other person picked up.

"_Took you long enough."_

Iris bit her lip. "I'm sorry, I had to find a signal." She was suddenly very excited. She was talking to her sister! It had been over a year since they last spoke, and she still hadn't had a chance to ask how her sister had been. Dahlia was all business that time...

"_It's fine, never mind. I need to ask a favour from you."_

Iris frowned. The last time she heard _that_, it had been to help with something rather... disreputable. Her voice shook as she replied, either from the cold, or from anxiety. "What do you need help with, sister?"

The voice on the other end sounded frustrated, and maybe a little apathetic._ "This time you're not going to run away, are you?"_

Iris flinched. If she was talking about _that_ incident, then it couldn't be good. But at the same time, she couldn't hold it against her sister. Dahlia always did everything right. She was smart, beautiful, strong... everything that Iris herself was not. The only reason the incident turned out the way it did was because she had run away. She had ruined everything. Iris gathered her small amount of courage and answered, "N-No, I won't..."

Her sister's mood improved, albeit slightly. _"Good. I don't need any grief from this, you hear? It will be quick, and easy." _She paused for a moment, and Iris felt her heart rate quicken at the possibilities._ "I need your help silencing this acquaintance of mine. He's dense as a rock, but if I don't get him to keep quiet, people are going to find out about me."_

Iris bit her lip. She knew exactly what her sister was talking about. She had no problem with... "silencing" people who talked too much, and got in the way of her plans. Her heart ached as the thought of last year's incident plagued her. "I-I see..."

Her sister went on, either oblivious to Iris' discomfort, or indifferent to it. _"I'll need you to meet me at the train station. Call me when you arrive and we'll go from there. Understood?"_

Iris grimaced. Her instinctive response was to agree with her sister. Dahlia needed her help, and it was her fault that Dahlia was in such a predicament. If she hadn't run away that one time, then no one would have—

That was it. No one else was going to die because of her weakness, and her lack of courage. She would help Dahlia, but in a different way. "W-Wait, please."

Dahlia frowned, her mood fouled again. _"What is it? You told me thirty seconds ago that you wouldn't back out."_

"I will help you. But... please don't hurt the man. Please."

Dahlia paused. Was she shocked at her sister's resistance? Iris hoped she wasn't angry with her...

"_Then what do you suggest I do? If I don't get my necklace back from that oaf, I'll be found out. And he just doesn't _get_ it. There's no other way."_

Iris thought. She had no confidence in her planning, that was Dahlia's job. But if Dahlia had no plan, then... "I-I... Mm..." She had no input to give.

The silence on the other end indicated that Dahlia was thinking. _"I may have another plan."_

Iris widened her eyes a fraction in surprise. "Y-You do?"

Iris couldn't see her sister's sinister smile, but she could hear her sister's tone change. _"It's something you might actually enjoy. Wouldn't that be marvelous?"_

The hooded girl frowned. Something she would enjoy? Her heart rate quickened, and her mind raced as she thought of a reply. "I-I suppose... What is it?"

Dahlia was still smiling on the other end. She was about to get exactly what she wanted, she knew without a doubt. _"I need you to go to college for me. For a while."_

Iris blinked. Had she heard correctly? Was her phone defective in some way? Or had she just heard her estranged sister ask her to attend the university for her? All that she could come up with as a reply was, "... W-What?"

Her sister pressed on. _"I need you to attend Ivy University as Dahlia Hawthorne. You'll take my place. __Surely you find that thought at least a _little _appealing?"_

The girl stammered, "I-I, yes! Yes, I do! I just... I don't understand why you would want me to. I am unfamiliar with the city, and I haven't studied as much as you have-"

She was cut off before she could start rambling. _"It doesn't really matter. If you mess up my degree program, I'll just do it over. Right now, that does not matter. I have... other things to worry about."_

Iris paused. Other things...? Were her suspicions justified after all? She didn't want to think about what kind of trouble Dahlia had gotten herself into. She pulled on her hood tassel and listened for an explanation. She didn't want to have to ask.

Dahlia sighed into the phone. _"You see, I have a boyfriend. And he's a little, how should I put this... He's an idiot. I hate him. He's annoying. And I want to put as much distance between me and that _buffoon _as possible." _She struggled to keep her voice even, so as to be better understood over the phone.

It was strangely disappointing, and relieving at the same time. Iris felt a weight lift from her shoulders as she realized no, her sister wasn't in trouble. She just had a few boy issues, that's all... Right? She fought to make her answer assertive, since she was offering advice to her dearest sister. She knew absolutely nothing about relationships, but this one seemed obvious. "Why don't you break up with him, then...?"

Dahlia clicked her tongue in response. _"Don't you think I would have done that by now? Really, you should know better than that. I have to get my necklace back from him before I break up with him. I've been trying every single day, but he's such an _idiot _that he doesn't realize I'm serious. I can't deal with him anymore, and I want you to do it." _She was as blunt as could be, when she had nothing to hide. Maybe that was a good thing; it showed how much she trusted Iris.

And Iris relished that moment like no other. She would probably never again feel such acceptance from her sister. She would do anything to make this moment last forever. "Wh-What do you want me to do about it?"

There was a pause before Dahlia answered. _"Did you not make the connection? I want you to come to Ivy, take my place, and get my necklace back from my boyfriend. Once you get it back, you can go back to that temple of yours." _She managed to combine ridicule with pity as she broke the news to her poor sister. She would have to spend time with that dunce until he gave her back the necklace. Hopefully it wouldn't be too long—

Iris blinked again, as she finally made the connection. If she took Dahlia's place at the university, in order to get Dahlia's necklace back from her boyfriend—

"I'm supposed to... date your boyfriend until I get the necklace back?" The words came out surprisingly calm. The surprise came after Iris realized what she had just said. "Y-You want me to date him?"

If Dahlia had her way, there would be angels singing overhead as she finally broke free from her idiotic prison. _"Yes! Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. I want you to spend time with this idiot, and get that necklace back. And I'm sorry, but he's a complete idiot. I'm sick of him, and he won't be able to tell us apart anyway. Hell, you might even get along with him. He's your type."_

Iris' heart thundered in her chest. Was she really hearing this? "M-My type...?"

"_Yes. The naïve, ignorant, pushover type. You'll fit perfectly with him." _She paused. _"So... do we have a deal?"_

Iris couldn't believe her ears. Dahlia was offering a chance to to go college, and have a significant other? It was something she'd never even considered before! She had always lived at the temple, in order to keep out of her sister's way. She had very little experience with society outside the school of Kurain. This was a chance to grow, and to learn, and...

"What does he look like...? Iris' timid voice was barely heard over the phone.

_Dahlia laughed. "Nothing special, that's for sure. I'll send you a picture to keep you busy while you pack. Well, you won't need to pack much, will you? You'll be needing new clothes, and you'll need to dye your hair... I'll help with all of that. Just get to Los Angeles, as soon as possible. We'll meet as a secured location once you've arrived. Is everything clear to you?"_

Iris had to fight to keep from hyperventilating. One thought kept running through her mind, and it was making it very difficult to think, or form words. _Is this really happening? Is this really, really happening? Since when did I become the luckiest woman in the entire world?_ She eventually found the word she was looking for.

"Y-Yes..."

Dahlia sounded very, very please. _"Wonderful! Now, get over here as soon as you can. Call me when you arrive, and we'll meet. We've got a lot of work to do, my dear sister."_

Dahlia hung up after that. Not so much as a good bye, or a good luck. But that was to be expected. Even so, how could Iris expect anything more from her sister, who had just given her the most exciting thing that's ever happened to her? She couldn't. She didn't deserve any more. She didn't deserve _anything_, but it had been so readily given to her. If life were a fantasy, Iris would be bursting apart with happiness.

She made her way back to the village, determined to tell Sister Bikini all about her conversation. Dahlia wouldn't mind if one person knew, right? Bikini was like a mother to her, after all. She wouldn't tell anyone else. And if Iris didn't tell someone quick, she would, well... she just had to tell someone!

What would he look like? It suddenly occurred to Iris that she never asked for this man's name.

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><p>Reviews and critiques and flames are all welcomed!<p>

Some of you may have noticed the inconsistency in time, how many times Dahlia and Phoenix met, etc... I explain here!

Dahlia stayed with Phoenix for two months instead of one day. This is because HEY, Iris dated Phoenix for six months before Dahlia took over and messed everything up with the whole Doug Swallow murder thing, yeah? But the time between when she met Phoenix and the Doug Swallow incident, that is eight months. That is what I have figured. Someone please prove me wrong before this fic gets too far 8I

I noticed in the game that Iris mentions how she had to BEG her sister to let her try something, to avoid killing Phoenix. I changed that part of my fic to fit that.

Another thing: Iris has a phone, but can only use it at Dusky Bridge. In the game, she mentions that she can go to a nearby town and use a computer, and she "can even use a cell phone". I'm not sure if she meant that she has to go there to use it or not, but yeah. And also Bikini mentions that they have cell coverage up there in the mountains, when she yells at Phoenix for not having a cell phone at the time. So yeah, I just put the cell coverage next to the phone by the bridge.

I am a huge sucker for details 8I


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I think I'm making Iris think too much. It's hard to tell how much of the world she notices, and understands :I Either she's naïve and she doesn't notice the little things, or she's naïve but very observant, and she picks up on things. I'm going with the latter.

Disclaimer: I know nothing about the geography of Los Angeles, so I'm improvising using my imagination. Don't hold it against me. Also I am totally using the layout of my own college to describe Ivy. I am sorry.

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><p>Was it a joke after all?<p>

No, it couldn't be a joke. Dahlia could be cold, and ruthless at times, but she wouldn't hurt her sister for the sake of making a bad joke, would she? Iris shook her head—Dahlia just wasn't that kind of person.

Then again, it's hard to really know someone you barely talk to.

Iris called four times—once when she arrived, then once every hour after that. That meant she'd been waiting at the train station for three hours. She was beginning to doubt herself, and her sister's plan. It was only natural, right? She doubted her sister would go to such lengths for a joke, but her wandering thoughts eventually led her back to the probability of such an occasion.

While she contemplated the thought of being played by her sister, she gave Dahlia the benefit of the doubt, and worried for her sister. What if something had happened to her? What if Iris had misunderstood something? It had been a little difficult to hear, now that she thought about it. What if she had missed something?

Needless to say, Iris was just about worried sick. She just wanted to see her sister. Once Dahlia appeared, everything would be fine.

Then, as if to mock her, her own phone rang.

She almost dropped the darn thing when it did, but she was glad. She pressed the 'accept' button, and put the phone up to her ear. "Dahlia?"

"_Don't use my name, ever. You're supposed to be me, remember?"_

Dahlia sounded irritated. Iris tried not to press her, even though she had been waiting for quite a while, and was worried sick. "O-Okay... But, I don't look like you," she said hesitantly.

The young woman huffed on the other end. "_I suppose you're right... However, it would be good to get into the habit of calling me something other than Dahlia. Like May, or something. I don't know, just something else."_

Iris bit her lip. "Okay... May..."

Dahlia smirked. _"There you go. Now then, to business. You're at the train station, yes?"_

Iris nodded, then answered verbally for Dahlia's sake. "Yes... I called you a long time ago..." She felt the urge to let her sister know just how worried she'd been, but stopped herself before she could show any more of that taboo assertiveness. She bit her lip once more, afraid of how her sister might respond.

"_I noticed. I couldn't answer because that idiot wouldn't let me leave." _Dahlia sighed into the phone. _"Even _I_ wouldn't wish him upon anyone. That's how much it pains me to be around him. Anyway, walk to the end of the block and turn right, then head to the parking garage a few blocks down. I'm waiting on the second floor next to the elevator."_

Iris made a mental map, and memorized the instructions. It wouldn't be good to make Dahlia repeat herself. "Okay, I understand."

Dahlia smiled that incredibly charming smile of hers, but Iris was forced to visualize it using her tone as a reference. _"That's a good girl. I'll see you soon."_

Iris never really knew when her sister was being sincere, but she liked to think this was one of those few times. "See you soon, sister."

Dahlia hung up immediately following her line, so she couldn't have heard the second half of her timid sister's reply. Iris didn't mind. Dahlia was in a hurry, yes? Iris had to be in a hurry, as well. She drew her small satchel to her chest, and walked in the direction that Dahlia had instructed. She tried not to draw any more attention than she inevitably would, what with the acolyte garments she wore being horribly out of place in Los Angeles.

After a few minutes of walking, she realized that the "blocks" in Los Angeles were huge. If she didn't hurry, Dahlia would reprimand her when she arrived. But which was worse, being reprimanded by her sister, or someone becoming a little too interested in a girl running around in weird clothes? The answer was obvious, so she went on walking as inconspicuously as she could.

She assumed a parking garage was where automobiles were parked, so naturally she looked for a building with cars in it. She hadn't imagined it to be so... _big_. It seemed everything in this city was big, and fast too. Except for the people. They weren't particularly big, but they were fast. And relatively rude. Iris grimaced as a man bumped into her, pushing her into another woman. The woman scolded her, and made a strange comment about her clothes. Iris couldn't see how people could live in such a place. She kept her head down and kept walking, looking for an entrance. It seemed there was an opening big enough for a few cars to drive through, so she went inside, hoping not to draw any attention.

Her sister said she was waiting on the second floor, by the elevator, so Iris naturally went to find an elevator. But then she wondered, what if she was stuck in the elevator with a stranger? It would be better to use the stairs, since most people would use the elevator instead. Luckily for her, the stairs were right next to the elevator, and so she had no trouble climbing them to the second floor, and finding her sister right where she said she would be.

Dahlia was a peculiar one. Whatever the season, she wore a white strapless dress with a transparent pink shawl, and carried a white parasol. As a result of her wardrobe choices, she appeared the picture of a delicate flower at all times, and charmed onlookers with her innocence and sincerity. Those who looked upon her would never consider that at least one of those characteristics was usually a facade.

Iris, however, was one of the few people alive who knew Dahlia's secret. She knew her sister's past, and the terrible things she had to live through. She understood Dahlia's cold personality, and her tendency to care about nothing and no one other than herself. It was Dahlia's defense mechanism; this way, she could never be hurt by other people, and their destructive and selfish tendencies. Iris could only admire such strength and ingenuity. When she looked upon her sister, she looked past all the deception and lies, and saw only a young woman who needed to be loved and trusted. She started towards her sister, forcing herself not to run. Dahlia would scold her for that.

It had been a long time since she had actually seen her sister in person. Dahlia couldn't be bothered to come visit all the time, and Iris knew it. However, it didn't keep her from wanting to throw her arms around her twin and hold her close.

Dahlia of course would not take affection from that, so Iris restrained herself, and waited for instructions. Dahlia turned her head, and smiled that charming smile of hers.

"Are you ready to go?"

Iris nodded. She suddenly realized how much her sister had matured since the last time they met. Before, she was just a little girl with a habit of getting into mischief. Now, she had grown into a charming young woman, with a lot of different responsibilities. She went to college, she had her own dorm room on campus, she could drive a car... Iris could drive the snowmobile back at the temple, but it just wasn't the same. Dahlia was best in every way. Iris put her head down and walked around to the passenger seat, and got in.

Dahlia folded her parasol neatly and placed it in the back seat with her purse, and started the engine. Iris wondered how she managed to drive with those high-heeled slippers of hers. It was just one more way that delicate little Dahlia demonstrated her skills and resourcefulness.

"I would have called someone to come get you, but I don't want anyone seeing you who doesn't need to." Dahlia sounded less irritated than she had on the phone. It was... pleasant. She backed out of her space, and continued, heading towards the exit. "The university isn't far away, so we'll be there soon. I have all we need there in my dorm.

"Basically, I'm trying to keep all of this a secret. You're lucky I don't have any roommates, or you'd be in a world of trouble. Once I change you into me, I'm getting out of here." She seemed a little more at ease. Was she relieved that everything was going according to plan, so far? Iris felt a twinge of happiness at the thought. "We'll go through the details when we arrive." She definitely wasn't angry, but she wasn't showing any signs of that facade of happiness, either. It was one of the few faces that Iris got to see, and no one else did.

Iris sat in silence as Dahlia concentrated on the road. The events of the last twenty-four hours played in her head over and over, and soon they arrived. Iris looked up in curiosity, examining the cast-iron sign overhead that read "Ivy University". On each side of the entrance there was a brick wall, with ivy growing all the way to the top, with just enough space in between the tangles of green that one could view the red beneath. Beyond that was the administrative building, which rested behind a center of green grass and a few trees. Dahlia pulled inside and took one of the narrow roads off to the right, leading in the direction of the dormitories. Luckily for her, it was a Friday, and most of the students were already home, or about to leave. There was little chance of anyone spotting the twins.

She reached the parking lot of the dormitories, and parked in the space reserved for her room number. Then she grabbed her parasol and purse from the back and got out of the car. Iris figured she should follow, and got out herself.

"Let's hurry in before someone sees you." That time, Dahlia's voice sounded a little frantic again, and maybe a little bit worried. Was that her way of showing that she had nothing to hide from Iris? Perhaps. They climbed the stairs to the third floor of the dorms, and went inside.

Dahlia's dorm room was neatly furnished with varnished wood and thick carpet, and decorated with pink and white fabrics. The color certainly wasn't overpowering, but it was clear who lived there. There was a living room connected to the kitchen, and a hallway that led to the bathroom, and two separate bedrooms. Dahlia's was on the left, and the other was vacant at the moment. Her former roommate had found the need to vacate when she couldn't stand the "disgusting girl colors" anymore. Of course, Dahlia happily saw her off, and took the rest of the dorm for herself. Fortunately for her, management hadn't found her a replacement just yet.

She set her purse down on the end table next to the sofa, and headed to the bedroom. "I have clothes for you in here. Obviously, anything I wear should fit you, yes? Unless you've let yourself go since the last time I saw you, of course." She giggled sweetly, out of habit. She would have snickered if the giggle hadn't been automatic and subconscious.

Iris looked at the floor. It was just a joke, of course. Dahlia had no one else to talk to like this, so she had to bear with it. She followed her sister to the bedroom, and looked around. It was simple, like the rest of the house. But it was definitely pink. Dahlia hung her parasol in the closet and pulled out a dress identical to the one she had on.

"I have two of the same dress, just in case. I have other dresses, but this one is my favorite." She ran her hand down the front of the dress, smoothing it out unnecessarily. "We'll work on your fashion sense in a little while, but for now..." She trailed off, setting the dress down on her bed. "For now, we need to dye you hair."

Iris bit her lip. Her hair had always been dark, and she was rather attached to it. She took unbelievably good care of it, making sure it stayed nice and strong. She saw that Dahlia had beautiful hair as well, but she hadn't been forced to dye it red. Needless to say, Iris was nervous.

Dahlia noticed, easily. "It's not going to ruin your hair, don't worry. It only damages if you dye it over and over. Hopefully you won't have to, since this will be over and done with soon. But it's all up to you how long it takes." She flicked her hair back away from her shoulder, carelessly. "We should start now, since your hair is so dark. We'll have to do multiple washes." She turned and walked to the bathroom.

Iris followed, hesitantly. "Y-You said, it would damage if I dyed it over and over..."

Dahlia turned on the light and grabbed a bottle of dye, examining it. "Even if it does get damaged, you can cut it off and it will grow back just fine." She turned to Iris with a stern look. "Are you going to help me or not?"

Iris couldn't keep eye contact with such a strong look. She nodded, still uneasy.

Dahlia's look softened, slightly. "Good. You promised me. How can you expect me to forgive you if you break another promise? Sit down on the toilet there." She pulled the seal off of the dye and went back to her room for a moment.

Iris winced as regret filled her gut. What she would do to go back and fix what she had caused... She sat in silence as Dahlia returned in more suitable attire—short jean-shorts and an undershirt she wore when she went places that a dress couldn't. She took a towel from the rack, and helped Iris place it around her shoulders. Then she bent and retrieved a pair of rubber gloves from under the sink, and put them on. Iris kept her eyes trained on the floor, afraid to even contemplate the horrors about to be done to her hair.

Dahlia wiggled her fingers uncomfortably in the gloves. She supposed it was better than dying her hands red though. She looked over to her sister, and frowned in exasperation. "If you have something to say, say it."

Iris was startled. Did she have something to say? Well, she did want to say how terrified she was of this whole plan, but that wouldn't help, would it? It wouldn't get rid of the sinking feeling in her stomach, and the fact that she had to suddenly change everything about herself.

"I-I'm afraid..."

Dahlia rolled her eyes. "You'll be fine. I'll be the one taking the heat, since you're acting as me. You won't have to worry about anything. Better?" She grabbed a spray bottle and started wetting the ends of Iris' hair.

Iris stayed silent. She would bear with it, even though she was terrified. Dahlia had it _much_ worse, after all. It was the least she could do to make it easier for her sister...

"Oh, I never sent you that picture, did I?" Dahlia set the spray bottle down and went back to her room. Iris looked up when she returned with her phone. She handed it to Iris, the screen set on a picture file.

"Maybe that will motivate you just a little." She picked up a comb and divided her sister's hair into quadrants, indifferent to her sister's reaction to the picture.

Iris stared at the picture on the small screen. It showed a young man with dark hair, gelled back in a peculiar, yet simple hairdo. He had the brightest smile that Iris had seen on another person in a long time. It even rivaled the ever-jovial Bikini's grin. And his eyes... they were filled with happiness and sincerity. Iris found herself staring into them, unable to look away. Or maybe she simply didn't want to, it didn't matter to her then.

A few minutes passed before she noticed. "You're smiling." Dahlia sounded amused, as she worked the dye into her sister's hair.

Iris turned her head to see her sister smirking, and blushed. "He looks... nice..."

Dahlia scoffed. "Good luck, then. If that's what you think, then you'll last a lot longer than I did. This plan is fool-proof." She smirked to herself, admiring her own ingenuity.

Dahlia went back to examining the man in front of her. He looked like he genuinely loved her sister. In the picture, he wore a sweater from Ivy University, and a necklace with a heart pendant. Strange enough, she thought it looked cute on him. Was this the necklace that Dahlia wanted her to take back? It saddened her to even consider taking it from him. Suddenly, she realized something.

"Um... What's his name?"

Dahlia answered with no real emotion. "Phoenix Wright. His mother's a strange one for sure."

Iris smiled. She thought it was interesting, and creative. Was his mother an artist of some kind? Creative and imaginative people tended to go into the arts in some way or another. "Can you... tell me about him?"

Dahlia rolled her eyes again. "I guess you'd better know anyway, since you're going to be me for a while." She pulled the dye down all the way to the ends and worked it in. "For one, he's an idiot. Naïve, ignorant, and gullible. You've got that in common, don't you?"

Iris listened contently, imagining what this Phoenix Wright would be like when she finally met him. Dahlia went on. "He's loud, and he gets excited over the littlest things. I guess the one good thing about him is that he tries hard. He has enough motivation for ten people, that one."

Dahlia went on, telling Iris the things they had done together so far, which mostly consisted of eating lunch together and him talking about whatever came to his mind. Iris couldn't keep herself from smiling. All those negative things that Dahlia mentioned didn't matter to her. All she could see was a nice boy with a big heart. And he was offering it to Dahlia—which meant her.

Suddenly, dying her hair seemed like a small price to pay for the chance to spend time with this young man. She couldn't wait to meet him.

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><p>Reviews and critiques and flames are welcomed~<p> 


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